230263 South African Fiction (S) (WiSe 2014/2015)

The 1948 General Election victory of the National Party (NP) triggered off a development that has thouroughly pervaded South Africa´s politics, economics, society, and culture until 1994 and beyond: the Apartheid (1948 - 1994). It was this environment that gave rise to a very particular South African brand of literature which - dealing with whatever subject-matter at all - could never ignore the facts of Apartheid and never avoid some kind of reaction to it. 20 years after the abolition of Apartheid and the emergence of the New South Africa fictional literature still remains one of - if not the best - source for studying the literary and cultural history of post-WWII-South Africa - which this class will endeavour to do.
We will read three novels representing crucial stages in the literary and cultural history of the country as well as a couple of short stories that will be available in reader-form at the beginning of the term.

This class is related in content to Prof. Dr. Schröder´s class "Englishes in Souther Africa" (Fr 10 -12). We strongly recommend participation in both classes.

Bibliography

Novels:

- Nadine Gordimer, The Conservationist (1974)
- John M. Coetzee, Disgrace (1999)
- Zakes Mda, The Madonna of Excelsior (2002)